In fall 2016, the percentage of first-time students at public four-year institutions who were state residents ranged from 33% in Vermont and 37% in Delaware to 92% in Alaska and New York and 94% in Texas.

Between 2006 and 2016, the percentage of students who were state residents declined the most in Mississippi (from 69% to 53%) and in Oregon (from 75% to 61%).

In seven states, the percentage of first-time students at public four-year institutions who were state residents increased between fall 2006 and fall 2016. The largest increases were 7 percentage points (from 69% to 76%) in Utah and 2 percentage points (from 69% to 71%) in Hawaii.

Figure 23 shows the percentage of all first-time students enrolled in public four-year institutions in the state who were state residents. An alternative measure is the percentage of students from the state enrolling in four-year colleges anywhere who attend in-state public institutions. In 2016, when 90% of first-year students at the New Jersey public four-year colleges were residents, only 34% of state residents who enrolled in a four-year college chose an in-state public four-year institution.

In 2016, although only 40% of first-year students at North Dakota’s public four-year institutions were state residents, 63% of state residents who enrolled in a four-year college chose an in-state public four-year institution—higher than the national average of 55%.

Because nonresidents pay higher tuition than in-state students, public institutions can increase their tuition revenues by enrolling more out-of-state students.